Thousands gather at Indiana Statehouse for labor rally

 

Union workers flood the west side of the Indiana Statehouse on Thursday, March 10, 2011to show their support as the AFL-CIO held a giant rally with thousands of people showing up to protest bills in the legislature attacking collective bargaining. (Matt Detrich / The Star)

 

Over five thousand AFL-CIO workers rallied outside the Statehouse, protesting bills in the legislature attacking collective bargaining..From WTHR Chopper 13. Thursday March 10, 2011. Alan Petersime/The Star

 

Over five thousand AFL-CIO workers rallied outside the Statehouse, protesting bills in the legislature attacking collective bargaining..From WTHR Chopper 13. Thursday March 10, 2011. Alan Petersime/The Star

 

Thousands of union members stage a mass protest in Orr Plaza on the west side of the Indiana Statehouse for the AFL-CIO's "We Are Indiana" union rally on Thursday, March 10, 2011. The rally, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., is expected to draw more than 20,000 union members, which would top the number that showed up at a union rally in 1995. Union workers were bused to Indianapolis from all around the state. Charlie Nye / The Star.

Thousands of union members stage a mass protest in Orr Plaza on the west side of the Indiana Statehouse for the AFL-CIO's "We Are Indiana" union rally on Thursday, March 10, 2011. The rally ran from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and drew between 8,000 to 11,000 people from all around the state, plus Illinois and Kentucky. The crowd included flag-waving Army National Guardsman Chris Houchins, right, standing near an inflated "Fat Cat" grasping a worker in a yellow construction hat. Charlie Nye / The Star.

Ron of Carmelshouts "Taxpayers for freedom. Get rid of the unions" as he is harassed by surrounding union workers and their signs at the Indiana Statehouse on Thursday, March 10, 2011as the AFL-CIO held a giant rally with thousands of people showing up to protest bills in the legislature attacking collective bargaining. (Matt Detrich / The Star)

Thousands of union supporters ignored icy winds today for a rally outside the Indiana Statehouse calling for lawmakers to drop measures that would cut back on labor rights.

"The working men and women of Indiana have come back to take back the people's house for the people of Indiana," Nancy Guyott, leader of the Indiana AFL-CIO, told the rally.

Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Ind, one of the Indiana Democrats that forced the Indiana House into a three-week deadlock by holding out in an Illinois hotel, addressed the crowd that filled the massive plaza on the west side of the Statehouse.

The Democrats want Republicans to take a repeal of the prevailing-wage law and private school vouchers off the table to end the impasse, Crawford said.

Leo Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers. said that corporate America started a war on unions. "We're going to kick their ass," Gerard said.

The rally began with a minister praying for justice, and wisdom for lawmakers.

A Marine veteran of Iraq and son of a steelworker led the crowd in reciting Pledge of Allegiance

The rally crowd peaked at more than 8,000 people at noon and slipped to about 7,000 by 1 pm., Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Dave Bursten said.

Earlier -- Thousands gather at Indiana Statehouse for labor rally

Thousands of labor union activists were already filling the west side of the Statehouse grounds this morning for a rally to protest legislation that affects collective bargaining and public education.

The rally officially begins at 11:30 a.m.

As workers wait, they are filling their time by chanting such things as “One day longer, one day stronger,” and “We are union!”

Union leaders have estimated that as many as 25,000 will attend the rally, coming from all parts of the state. That would rival the 20,000 union members who protested at the Statehouse in 1995 in what, possibly until now, has been the largest rally in state history.

Indianapolis and state police report the crowd has been orderly and gathered without incident. Traffic maintained a rush-hour pace through the morning on interstates feeding Downtown.